hamate

noun

ha·​mate ˈhā-ˌmāt 

: a bone on the inner side of the second row of the carpus in mammals

Examples of hamate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The hamate bone is on the lower outside edge of the hand. — Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 20 May 2026

Breaking the hamate, a small bone near the bottom of the hand, is not an uncommon injury for hitters. — Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 20 May 2026

First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino left the game with a hamate injury in his right hand in the fifth inning. — Kansas City Star, 14 June 2026

Outfielder Grant McCray has a fractured hamate bone in his left wrist. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin hamatus hooked, from hamus hook

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hamate

• dammit
• gamut

Medical Definition

hamate

1 of 2 adjective

ha·​mate

ˈhā-ˌmāt also ˈham-ət

: shaped like a hook

hamate

2 of 2 noun

variants or hamate bone

: a bone on the little-finger side of the second row of the carpus in mammals

called also unciform, unciform bone